The Romans called the hottest time of the year “the dog days of summer”.
What to call this balmy weather?’
Read on for the best places to enjoy the “puppy days of summer”.
Birds of a Feather
It should come as no surprise that Zombie Joe’s Underground Theater — NoHo’s L.A.’s bastion of the Grand Guignol –has already produced six Poe pieces.
The Raven is the only production that was inspired by mental patients.
Zombie Joe, who teaches in the Arts and Mental Health Department of Metropolitan State Hospital, brought the poem in to read to his students. Galvanized by the intensity of their interest, Zombie Joe pulled the new show, whose short run debuts on Friday, June 28th, together in record time.
Coincidentally, Allan Poe, Edgar A’s great-great-grand-nephew, is playing his illustrious ancestor in Republic County, another ZJU production. Sadly, he did not contribute to The Raven.
Zombie Joe notes that the show, which also features Poe’s Oval Portrait, Alone and Song, is not a dramatization and that every piece will be performed “word for word”. Continuing the literary motif, poet Christopher Reiner, one of the ZJU house composers, will perform his score for The Raven live.
Go Go’ers, it will not be a midnight dreary.
THE RAVEN —Fridays @ 8:30 pm, June 28 – July 26; $15 — ZJU Theater, 4860 Lankersham Blvd, NoHo 91601 Call for reservations: (818) 202-4120 For info: www.ZombieJoes.com & www.PoeFest.com
Bowled Over
Go Go’ers, we’re in the longest days of the year, which means more time to eat, drink and wear our stretchy shorts.
This Saturday, the LA Street Food Fest’s 4th Annual LA Summer Tasting Event at the Rose Bowl gives you the opportunity to do all three.
Plus, there’s grass for your siesta.
The fest features over 100 food truck/cart/pop-up vendors, including a whole section curated by LASFF partner A Taste of Mexico. There’s beer and tequila to wash the latter down as well as wine, rum, liquid yum from Greenbar Distillery, non-alcoholic bevvies for kids and DD’s, and the fest’s signature Ice Cream Social.
Good thing you multi-task so well.
LA STREET FOOD FEST 4TH ANNUAL SUMMER TASTING SPECIAL — Sat, June 29; VIP/$75/3-9pm & GA/$50/5-9pm — Rose Bowl, Pasadena. Advance ticket sales only: http://lastreetfoodfest.com/
Mask maker, Mask maker, make me a Mask
People use masks to both hide and reveal their true selves so if you want to share your inner Wild Child with the world or hide your Wicked Handsome Self to spare the ladies, head to Leimert Park for the Third Annual Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks.
Granted, it’s a little more effort than painting a unicorn on your cheek.
The mask-making starts at noon and you have three hours to finish the symbolic Face You Want to Show to the World in time to wear it in the 3pm Procession.
No pressure.
In addition to you and your alter ego Maskerpiece, the day-long, L.A. Commons-affiliated festival incorporates the Leimert Park Art Walk and features special guest performers Adunni & Nefertiti from Lagos, Nigeria, spoken word performances, food, and life-sized puppets. (More puppets, yay!)
Just be prepared for the puppets to have better masks.
Not that it’s a competition.
THIRD ANNUAL DAY OF THE ANCESTORS: FESTIVAL OF MASKS — Sun, June 30, noon-8pm; FREE — KAOS Network, 4343 Leimert Blvd, LA 90008 http://www.lacommons.org/event/day-of-the-ancestors-festival-of-masks-2/
Green Galactic Throws a Party
Lynn Tejada (nee Hasty) is the founder of Green Galactic: a PR firm as eclectic as its clients. So it comes as no surprise that Tejada is celebrating Green Galactic’s 20th Anniversary Celebration not with a chi-chi soiree of passed apps and wine spritzers but a big-ass party on a grand scale.
Actually, make that a Grand Stage.
In collaboration with the Grand Performances summer concert series, Tejada is celebrating Green Galactic’s success by going back to her early days in L.A. when she produced, promoted, and curated shows featuring innovative, cutting-edge artists.
The venue may have changed but the ideology hasn’t.
The Sunday evening anni bash features three sets by internationally acclaimed, electronic music innovators pole, John Tejada and Plaid with projected visuals by Plaid as wells as Tejada’s Green Galactic colleague Charlene Boehne. The music is family friendly and — good news! — California Plaza is now wine and beer friendly so you can raise a glass in anniversary tribute to Green Galactic.
Music. Art. Water. Stars.
Green Galactic, here’s to 20 more….
GREEN GALACTIC’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION — Sun, June 30, 7-10 pm; all ages/FREE — Grand Performances, 350 S Grand Ave, DTLA, 90071 http://www.greengalactic.com/2013/green-galactic-20-year-anniversary/
Ready? U Know U Want 2 Go Go….
CORRECTION: Charlene Boehne of Green Galactic was incorrectly identified in the previous post. Ms. Go Go regrets the error!
